Demanding action: Jewellers observe shutter-down strike

Bandits snatched 2.5 kilogrammes of gold, valuables at gunpoint.

PESHAWAR:

Jewellers in the city observed a shutter-down strike on Thursday to protest against a gang of armed robbers who shot and injured a shopkeeper after looting gold, cash and other valuables at gunpoint in Andar Sher bazaar. 

Several robberies have occurred in the market, but the police have failed to arrest any of the culprits and recover the items, said Ander Shehr Market Traders Association President Haji Ghufranullah. The police have given us assurances once again, but no progress has been made so far, he added.

Bandits snatched 2.5 kilogrammes of gold and other valuables from Saifullah Khan’s shop. The robbers opened fire at him when he resisted, Ghufranullah said, adding Saifullah sustained bullet wounds and was taken to Lady Reading Hospital.

Though his life is out of danger, the traders are demanding the authorities for protection and security at the market, since incidents like these have occurred time and again.



According to Ghufranullah, the Ander Shehr market has more than 400 jewellary shops and about 6,000 people are associated with it.

Traders also staged a sit-in outside the market and rallied on Hospital Road, blocking it for a short while.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 26^th, 2013.